nickelpoor

Nickelpoor is an adjective used to describe an object or sample that has a lower nickel content than a reference standard. The term is used in several fields with different thresholds, so there is no universal cutoff for what counts as nickel-poor. In materials science and geology, nickel content is measured by analytical methods such as X-ray fluorescence or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, while in astronomy nickel abundance is inferred from stellar spectra and modeled relative to iron.

In astronomy, nickel-poor stars are metal-poor stars with subsolar nickel-to-iron ratios, detected through high-resolution spectroscopy. They are of interest for tracing early Galactic chemical evolution and supernova nucleosynthesis since nickel yields depend on the type of supernova and progenitor metallicity. Some halo and dwarf galaxy stars show depleted [Ni/Fe] relative to solar values, which informs models of early enrichment and mixing despite observational uncertainties.

In geology and mineral resources, nickel-poor rocks or ore bodies have nickel abundances lower than regional or global averages. Such compositions may reflect differentiation, planetary accretion histories, or surface weathering. Geochemical surveys and ore-genesis studies map nickel distributions to distinguish nickel-poor zones from more enriched deposits, which can influence exploration strategies and resource assessments.

Overall, nickelpoor serves as a descriptive term across disciplines, with the precise meaning and implications defined by context, reference standards, and methodological conventions.